Knock down hamper

ABSTRACT

A knock down hamper having a body containing an elongated portion divided into four sections, two of which are enclosed frames and two of which are partially enclosed frames. The frames are covered by a continuous piece of flexible material forming the cover of the hamper and which may be folded to make the hamper fit into a relatively thin and flat shipping and display carton. The top and bottom frame pieces have tongues and grooves designed to fit together and the bottom pieces of each frame have a continuous groove to hold the bottom board of the hamper. There are hinges on one of the top frame pieces to hold the lid of the hamper which fits inside of one of the frames when inserted in the shipping and display carton.

[ Apr. 17, I973 United States Patent Fausel I KNOCK DOWN HANIPER Primary ExamineF-Samuel B. Rothberg Assistant Examiner-Allan N. Shoap Att0rney-Wm. T. Metz [76] Inventor: Anthony 0. Fausel, 128 Greenwood Drive, Burlington, Iowa 52601 Feb. 22, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 228,017

[ ABSTRACT A knock down hamper having a body containing an [22] Filed:

elongated portion divided into four sections, two of which are enclosed frames and two of which are par- 4 W Z 03W23 2Q 12 29 0 W v 5 A2 2 B2 2 ,1 H w n 7 mO 1 2 2 117 .d o 7 m ,m 4 s r 2 mm 9 U m d m u 5 U h. mama; u mi 0 d 5 MM U IF .1 .ll. 2 8 5 55 rt [l References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS groove to hold the bottom board of the hamper. There are hinges on one of the top frame pieces to hold the H19 lid of the hamper which fits inside of one of the frames when inserted inthe shipping and display carton.

.220/DIG. l4 1 7/13 ....2l7/l2 A 2,144,318 2,359,450 10 1944 Spaulding et al. 2,693,895 1 1 1954 Elmendorf 3 Claim, 4 Drawing figures PATENTED APR 1 1 1m SHEET 1 UF 2 1 KNOCK DOWN HAMPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to knock downhampers and more particularly to a knock down hamper designed to fit into a carton that is relatively thin and flat. The shipment of hampers is curtailed considerably if they are shipped in an assembled state, thus, it is highly desirable to ship hampers in a disassembled state from which they may be easily assembled.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore knock down units have been almost unknown in the art of wicker clothes hampers. There have been knock down boxes and chests and cabinets but none covered with a wicker or flexible material. The hampers so designed have not been able to be shipped in a flat carton for ease of stacking and displaying.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The knock down hamper herein described provides a means to ship a clothes hamper in a flat position which can be easily assembled by the purchaser of the hamper so it may be sold through stores in the carton and assembled at home.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a knock down hamper which will fit into a relatively thin and flat carton for shipment and display.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a knock down hamper which may be easily assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a knock down hamper which will be as sturdy as a factory manufactured hamper when assembled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a knock down hamper which is partially constructed for shipment with final construction to be done by the purchaser with a simple set ofinstructions.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following drawings, descriptions and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of the elongated portion of the hamperfolded in half, showing the lid of the hamper fastened into one ofthe frames for shipment.

FIG.2isatop view ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the hamper shown as it is partially assembled.

FIG. 4 is a view of the hamper with the lid open after it has been completely assembled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the elongated portion of the hamper has four sections, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Sections 1 and 3 are complete frames comprised of top and bottom pieces 5 and side pieces 6. Section 2 is a partial frame comprised of top and bottom pieces 7. Section 4 is a partial frame comprised of top and bottom pieces 7 and one side piece 6. A wicker covering 8 connects all of the sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 together. The wicker covering 8 is flexible so that sections 1 and 2 may be folded flat against sections 3 and 4 as shown in FIG. 2. The bottom and top pieces 5 have grooves 9 and the bottom and toppieces 7 have tongues 10. The top pieces 5 and 7 are aligned on the wicker cover 8 so that the tongues 0 in alignment when the sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 are folded at right angles to each other. Pins 14 fit in the holes 13 with a friction fit to fasten the hamper together. The lid 15 is fastened to the top piece 7 having hinges l6 thereon by the screws 17. The feet 18 are fastened to the bottom pieces 7 of Sections 2 and 4.

The wicker cover 8 is of such material that it will easily fold and bend such as at the fold 19-50 as to make the hamper a relatively thin and flat configuation for shipment in a relatively thin and flat carton. A piece of cardboard 20 is stapled to one of the side pieces 6 of section 3 and thus holds the lid 15 in section 3 for shipment. The bottom board 12 is also contained in the cardboard 20 and removed from section 3 for assembly. An instruction sheet may also be packed inside of the cardboard 20 and a sack containing eight pins 14 and two screws 17 may be placed in the shipping carton.

The knock down hamper when assembled is, thus, the same as a hamper that would be assembled in the factory except that the pins 14 replace glued tongue and groove joints.

The top and bottom pieces 5 and 7 and the side pieces 6 may be made of wood or other material which will be workable for this purpose.

I claim:

1. A knock down hamper comprised of an elongated portion of flexible material having attached to it two frames and two partial frames in alternate spaced relation, the frames comprised of top pieces, bottom pieces and side pieces, comprised of partial frames spaced between the two frames having only a top and a bottom piece, the second partial frame comprised. of a top piece, a bottom piece and a side piece, the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames having tongues and grooves which fit together when the frames and partial frames are placed at right angles to each other to form an enclosure, the bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames having a groove to receive a bottom board, holes located in the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames so as to be in alignment perpendicular to the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames to receive pins with a friction fit when the frames and partial frames are placed at right angles to each other to form an enclosure, a lid fastenable to hinges located on the top piece of one of the partial frames.

2. The knock down hamper of claim 1 having the flexible material of such flexibility so as to'be foldable, allowing the frames to be placed in a long flat configuration.

, 3. The knock down hamper of claim 2, the frames having proportions suchv that the lid fits securely in one of the frames when the frames are placed in a long flat configuration. 

1. A knock down hamper comprised of an elongated portion of flexible material having attached to it two frames and two partial frames in alternate spaced relation, the frames comprised of top pieces, bottom pieces and side pieces, comprised of partial frames spaced between the two frames having only a top and a bottom piece, the second partial frame comprised of a top piece, a bottom piece and a side piece, the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames having tongues and grooves which fit together when the frames and partial frames are placed at right angles to each other to form an enclosure, the bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames having a groove to receive a bottom board, holes located in the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames so as to be in alignment perpendicular to the top and bottom pieces of the frames and partial frames to receive pins with a friction fit when the frames and partial frames are placed at right angles to each other to form an enclosure, a lid fastenable to hinges located on the top piece of one of the partial frames.
 2. The knock down hamper of claim 1 having the flexible material of such flexibility so as to be foldable, allowing the frames to be placed in a long flat configuration.
 3. The knock down hamper of claim 2, the frames having proportions such that the lid fits securely in one of the frames when the frames are placed in a long flat configuration. 